A Peek Into My Week . . .

Mother Nature ... We got an inch or two of new snow yesterday, nothing big, just enough to make the roads slick!  It's going to be very cold on Christmas Eve and on Christmas day, the weather man says we won't even get into the double digits, brrrrrrrrr!  In fact it's very cold right now, only 17 degrees and dropping.

A few of my favorite things ... We have had so many big  doves hanging out by the bird feeders lately.  I love to watch them, but they are very greedy,  and like to run off the little finches and sparrows.  The other day, there were probably 8 big doves sitting on the roof of the shed, I think they're stalking us!

Okay...don't judge me . . . I LOVE fruitcake, there I said it!  Some of my fondest, Christmas memories involve fruit cake!  My mother and grandmother made the most delicious fruitcake, and the recipe I use is almost like theirs, not exactly, but very close.  The recipe is from an old, Betty Crocker cook book that I received as a wedding gift when I got married, almost 44 years ago...yummmy!  It's  just full of raisins, dates, dried and candied fruit, spices and walnuts.  If you didn't like fruitcake as a child, give it a try as an adult.  It's so delicious, especially with a little slice of very sharp cheddar cheese!  There are just some flavors that remind me of Christmas, and this is one of them.

Blessings ...  My very sweet, sweet, Averi went to see Santa Clause, and isn't he a great Santa?!  This girl is so excited for Christmas, she even has Christmas Eve and Christmas day all planned, right down to when she will go to bed and when she will wake up on Christmas morning, and then what she will do with her new toys!   She is just the sweetest child, and I love that she is so happy about Christmas, we love her to pieces!

Fifteen years ago, on Christmas day, we brought this adorable little girl to, Salt Lake City to have a bone marrow transplant.  Six months,  later her parents brought her home,  and what a wonderful gift that was, and really, if I never receive another gift, she would be enough!  You can read her story here.  I can't look at this photo without smiling . . . and crying . . . so many tender mercies.

When I was a little girl, each family in our church received a beautiful, diorama Nativity for Christmas.  We treasured it, and couldn't wait to put it up each year.   Greg Olson, who paints so many beautiful pictures of Christ, has illustrated this new diorama, and it looks very much like the old one.  I love this Nativity, it also brings back many good memories.  Isn't it funny how you look at something like this and you can even remember the smells and the sounds of those Christmas' so long ago.

I put some little fairy lights in it, to illuminate the Christ child...it's beautiful at night!

Why is is so hard to get a picture of a Christmas Tree?!  This was the best I could do!   I love my old Christmas Tree, it used to be pre-lit, but when one of the lights when out, they all went out.  One day my son and I decided to take off all the pre-lit bulbs and just put regular bulbs on it...what a job!!  This year I put burlap garland on it with pine cones and little crocheted stars, I like the way it looks.  It's a really pretty tree, and I will most likely keep it forever.

On Tuesday my daughters came down and we made candy, not too much, just enough to have a little bit for the holidays.  Today I did a little more baking . . . pumpkin spice, brownie-chocolate chunk and cinnamon chip biscotti, now...I think I'm...almost... ready for Christmas!

Just Sayin'...  At Bryce's funeral one of the speakers read, Desiderata...I had almost forgotten these beautiful words, and they are good words to live by.

A beautiful sunrise . . . this makes me smile, every time!

 Hugs and Love,

Barb